Leagues Away
by Elfanyan
Summary: A childhood move to Cardiff changes Harry's life in ways he never thought possible as he goes from his family's abusive household to a strange, brilliant world of sea gods, Doctors, and timeless ships. A Crossover of Doctor Who, PotC, and Torchwood.
1. Chapter 1

Leagues Away

Chapter 1

OO

For a very long time a boy in a small cramped cupboard stared down at the thin crust of toast clutched in his hands. He had stolen the bread from the trash after his aunt, uncle and their son had lumbered up to bed and the multitude of snores snorts, and heavy breathing had started. The boy thought of all the things he would much rather be eating. Soup, salad, ham sandwiches, and mashed potatoes, even his cousin's favorite- crisps. However none of them he could ever truly hope to eat.

So taking a shaky breathe the boy shoved the bread between his teeth and gently chewed. Thinking of all the things he rather be eating and rather be doing the next day. Any of them better than going to sleep on a bed of rags and having a broken jaw as your birthday gift.

OO

"Get up!" Petunia Dursley snapped rattling the door to the cupboard and unlocking the padlock that adorned one side. "Dudley wants a big breakfast before we take him to the amusement park. "

"Yes Aunt Petunia." Harry Potter slurred out getting up and off what he used as a bed. Rubbing the swollen side of his face he walked threw the sea of pictures of every one but him to get to the kitchen. Taking out all the pans and ingredients he needed, making sure to keep quite. Vernon Dursley was still asleep and Harry much preferred him that way.

However luck was not on the boy's side as the moment he started to fry up the bacon the sound of a herd of elephants announced the arrival of the two rotund members of the household. Dudley Dursley slammed into the kitchen and with a smile on his piggish face knocked over Harry as he began to dish out the meal. Vernon merely growled as bits of hot meat and oil fell on the boy at his feet.

Grabbing his over sized collar he hauled Harry to his feet and yanked him closer so that their noeses almost touched. "You, Boy, will not be in the way, and not waist food that your aunt and I have paid for. Food that is meant for deserving, _nonfreakish_ members of the community." Shaking Harry hard he added in a undertone. "I thought the reminder I gave you the other day should have been memorable to keep that in your skull."

"I'm sorry Sir!" Harry pleaded his breath whistling between his teeth with every intake. "Please Sir, I'll be good Sir." Almost desperately he reached up to grab at the meaty hand near his neck, Vernon however merely dropped the boy to the ground. Shaking his hand where Harry had almost touched him as if it had plague on it it.

"Get to work then! If I don't see food on my plate in two minutes I'll take the belt to you."

Franticly Harry nodded from his half crouched position where Vernon had dropped him. Jumping to his feet he hurriedly finished the eggs and cooked more bacon. Wistfully tossing the spoiled meats into the rubbish bin before setting out the toasted bagels and the various spreads from the fridge. Making sure the sugary cereal was near his cousin Harry barely finished under the time limit.

Vernon barely grunted from his watch of the clock before Petunia sniffed loudly and Harry took his leave of the kitchen. Walking back to his cupboard he opened the door and dropped to his knees the rags softening his landing before he closed the door and opened up one of Dudley's books. His cousin had tossed the book out after becoming to frustrated at the lack of pictures, Harry had managed to salvage it from the back garden rubbish bins. He loved the book because it was how he taught himself to read and when ever he read, it seemed as if he was transported away.

Harry would read the stories about fairy godmothers, magical doctors and gods of the sea and for a small tinny period of time he was not in his uncle's abusive household.

"We're leaving to take Dudders to to park. There's a list on the table of chores to do." Aunt Petunia rapped the door as she passed, jogging Harry for his thoughts and he hastily shoved the book under his bed.

Harry opened the door to his cupboard and nodded to his aunt, even thought she barely glanced at him as she yanked the door closed behind her. The sound of the car starting and heading off soon followed and Harry gave a sigh of relief.

_Better get on with it. _ Harry thought as he headed to the kitchen and plucked the list off the table and opened the freezer to get out some ice. Although his jaw was broken just the day before Harry had always managed to heal faster than anyone else. Something his uncle found unusually "freakish" and dealt with accordingly.

Looking over the list he rubbed the single cube of ice on the minor swelling and glanced over to the rubbish bin before checking the carport to make sure the Dursley's where well and truly gone. Some times if Dudley didn't have all of his precious toys his mother would run and get them from the house. Or if he didn't have something they just get him ten new ones.

_Unlike me. _Harry thought maliciously, nibbling at the bacon he rescued from the bin. _I get the cast offs...not that it matters considering I don't go anywhere._ Harry stared about the kitchen with the dishes and the mess.

"I wish I wasn't here." Harry gave another sigh and picked up the dishes chucking the ice cube. "But where would I go?" Starting to do his chores Harry slipped into one of his tales. His mind taking him far away even as his hands tied him down until his family finally decided to return.

When Harry had been younger he had dreamed of coming home one day and seeing his mum and dad waiting for him. It had just been a mix up. He'd always just meant to e dropped off for a day, a week at most, his parents loved him and had a huge home that Harry could live in. A prince with servants to do the work so he could just read or play football with his dad and studding with his mum.

As he got older such fantasy's had become more and more...wistful at best, at worst exceptionally lucid hallucinations brought on because of starvation -Harry had one read the medical textbook at Petunia had bought for appearance's sake, she thought it made he look educated-.

The move to _Cardiff_ however had cemented the fact that Harry's parents where dead. Harry had been shoved inside a box of cleaning supplies and shipped in a truck to the Dursley's new house. Uncle Vernon had always said that he would never spend good money for a plane ticket on someone who'd never deserve it. No parents would ever do that if they knew their son was alive. Harry passed out from dehydration and his toes had nearly been frozen off because of the horrid cold. It was the coldest winter in UK history and the worst days where the ones that he traveled.

From that point on Harry realized that his mind was never going to produce anything but day dreams to take him away. He still wished and hoped but, it was more of a real variety, a kind where a person hoped for food. Where a person hopped that for their birthday they didn't get a beating as proof that they where worse than scum.

But occasionally Harry thought about things hard enough and they seemed, for lack of a better word to appear. A dictionary sitting on his feet after going to bed wondering what some words in his fairy tales meant. Flowers replanting themselves when his fingers burned so much from the lye that he had to use for cleaning that he couldn't bend them.

"Yo ho...yo ho..." Harry hummed the trailing end of one of his stories winding his thoughts away from the past. It was a poem telling of the origin of the Flying Dutchman, and her patron goddess and had everything that a young boy could love, swords, curses, and of course- lots of running.

OO

Yes I'm a sick sick puppy for thinking this one out and writing it. Lets move on. Basically this is Harry Potter crossover with POTC with a weee bit of Doctor Who/Torchwood thrown in for good measure because two Jacks are better than one. If you know what I speak of you may by all means shout out loud in joy. That said I lead you down into the sick sick depths of my mind.

One last thing though. For the love of all that is holy read Magical Secrets at Sea. It's lovely and sweet and when it ended I sat down and began to write this...after shouting at my screen for a hour about how it was totally unfair that it ended.

Anywho when we do get to the parts with the Dutchman I've been on the Bounty and the Lady Washington the ships used for the movies (The Dauntless/Flying Dutchman/Black Pearl) so I'll base some of my descriptions off being on board the real ships. Not just movie images. Also I was part of a real crew that served on a real tall ship, I served as volunteer crew aboard the Schooner Class Tall ship 'Pacific Swift' so I really do know a bit about them (not just what wikipedia has told me). I ate, breathed and, bleed on and for that ship.


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter 2

I figured out what some of the parings are going to be. Some of them are basically cannon, some of them are ever so mine. Also I decided that this story will include Harry's years at Hogwarts...yah.

Also as a warning I have no clue as to how the UK constabulary works or their hospitals (or Parliament!). If you know shinny happiness for all, I don't. I'm making it up from what I watch on TV.

OO

For the next several days Harry went threw the mind numbing tasks set before him, the constant cleaning and washing, and anything else that his aunt could think of. But it seemed as if she was just trying to get him out of the house, out of her hair for some reason. Finally she called him into the living room one morning after Dudley had gone on to school.

"Boy." She sniffed looking down her nose at Harry who clasped his hands behind his back, staring down at his bare feet. "The neighbors have been talking about your deplorable state."

_Bet that word must have taken some practicing_ Harry thought to him self. In the rare times that his uncle was not home and it was just his aunt talking, he would often find him self making snide comments in his head. Growing up with a dictionary as reading material had rather extending his vocabulary, even if he would die if he ever said any of it. _Literally._

"I've decided to send you to school."

For a very long moment Harry's brain seemed to shut down. All thoughts and emotions seeming to short circuit as they tried to mull over the new information. Harry was going to go to school, Harry was going to school!

"I'll have to get you some decent clothing, something that doesn't show that we..." Petunia trailed off, another sniff turning her face more horsey than normal. She obviously thought the entire idea was grotesque and Harry knew that if she had any choice he'd do chores for the rest of his short life. "You will still have to do all your chores when you get here, no matter what school work you have. This house and family come before anything of _your_ obligations."

_Oooh another set of big words. She really must be angry. _

"You start in a week."

"Yes Aunt Petunia." Harry murmured making sure his voice was subservient. The last time he had been making comments in his head, and spoke, his uncle had beaten him severely for "giving lip." Harry had no desire to repeat the experience, especially with the beating he had gotten that morning for not getting up at midnight to help a sick Dudley into clean clothes. Dudley had eaten to much at dinner and had vomited over himself trying to waddle out of his room.

Petunia gave a curt nod and shoved his day's list of chores at him before hurrying out to the garden to chat with the other wives for a hour, or "Until you finish your chores in a civilized fashion and notify me."

"Well this is just..." Harry trailed off and crumpled up the paper, tossing it away in the rubbish bin. "Gods above." Harry sat down hard on the floor, his legs folding under him. Curling up and tucking his knees under his chin Harry stared out into space. "I'm going to school. Really going to school!"

Harry shook his head slightly and tried to wipe the smile off his face but, he was to ecstatic to try and regain his normally stoic features. No matter what Dudley said about his school, it could never, ever be as bad as simple living. No Harry was giddy at the thought of going to school, to him it meant that his life expectancy just went up, and that he likely would be getting more food. Two good things in Harry's book. Two excellent things.

Getting to his feet Harry started mopping the floors, almost tossing the heavy mop about in his joy. Quickly finishing the floor, he yanked up his over long sleeves and started on the dishes, a chore that today seemed as if it simply flew threw the water dirty and came out shinny, and sparkling clean.

"School. School." Harry gleefully hummed under his breath almost waltzing into the main room to dust. Finishing almost as quickly as he had done the dishes he tossed the dusted away and almost ran to the back door. Taking a deep calming breath he schooled his features and calmly stepped out.

To laughter. Roaring laughter.

Looking up Harry stared in disbelief at his uncle aunt and their porkish son laughing their hards off, at him. Dudley rolling on the ground as Petunia covered her emaciated face and Vernon slapping him huge belly.

"You thought we would send you so school boy?" Uncle Vernon finally said whipping tears out of his cruel eyes. "You thought we would waste good money on you? Freak!"

"Dad," Dudley chortled, "This is the best birthday present ever!"

Harry shook his head in disbelief. He was going to go to school. Learn things, get his A-Levels. Bloody escape from his own personal hell of starvation and beatings! Taking a shaky step back Harry shook his head more forcefully, trying to make the vision in front of him go away. The Dursley's where cruel, cold hearted but they'd never go to all the trouble of a week long charade just to see him humiliated.

_They couldn't! _The back door's window shattered as that particular thought flooded Harry's mind. The Dursley's stopped cold in their laughter as shards of glass slammed into the ground at their feet, barely missing Dudley's fat fingers.

"Boy." Vernon advanced of Harry, pushing himself off the overburdened lawn chair. "You just earned a beating." A sadistic grin adorned his face as Dudley clapped his hands, letting out a whoop for his father. Petunia looked down at her nails ignoring the antics of her family, even as they advanced on their weakest member.

"Please." Harry took another step back as any thoughts of anything but fear left his head. He may have been rebellious but at the same time he was terrified of his uncle more than anything and knew, deep down, his uncle would kill him with no remorse if Harry gave him the chance. "Please, please, please..."

"You just ruined that window whelp. Good money you aunt and I worked for. Nothing that a freak like _you_ could ever dream of doing." Vernon towered over Harry flexing his hand into a fist, his face a shade of plummy puce.

"Please..." Harry kept muttering curling tightly into a ball, the words now slurring as a fist slammed into his side. Another followed and Harry could feel one of his ribs crack.

But at the same time something in Harry's head cracked, some little switch that let loose the floodgates. Harry wasn't scared anymore, he was angry. It wasn't his fault! He hadn't even touched the window, even thought about it for heaven's sake. He was just the bloody Dursley's whipping boy. Their little toy to beat up and shove away when they got bored, because no one saw him and no one even truly knew he existed. The neighbors looked on and their eyes kept going, their brain not wanting to tell them that in their pretty world a child was abused and broken.

As a kick connected to Harry's head blackening the vision in one eye Harry uncurled involuntarily and stared out at the expanse of lawn. The back gate...was open!

Rolling under the next blow Harry jumped to his feet and ran. Ran faster and quicker than he ever thought possible, threw the normally locked gate and out into the outside world. Threw the gardens with their gardens and patios and past the little winding streets of the suburbs. Not stopping to think or even erratically breath Harry almost flew toward the city center, their bright lights sparkling even in the fog drenched morning.

Almost agonizingly slowly, or quickly, -Harry's mind sluggish and confused- The boy had to stop. His body hurt, his vision was blurred and dim, his glasses fallen off somewhere on his mad dash to freedom.

Falling under the shade of a dumpster Harry barely even noticed when his world started getting more than dark. The world spiraling into nothing.

OO

When Harry finally blinked open his eyes he clapped a hand over his mouth to prevent any noise as he stared at a PC bending over him.

"Are you alright?" PC...Davidson, Harry glanced at his badge, asked calmly bending down to be eye level. Holding a hand out to the shaking boy he helped him to his feet.

"I'm fine, sir." Harry stuttered trying to figure out why his mind still was fuzzy. He had been asleep, his body would have healed. Poking his chest slightly with one finger Harry groaned as he drew it back and stared at the blood. His ribs must have been shattered! No wonder he hadn't healed as quickly as normal.

"Dispatch, I need a medi-vac at the corner of Windsor and 34th." PC Davidson ordered into his walkie.

"I'll be fine." Harry said again a bit fainter standing up and smiling slightly. "There's no need to..." Harry bent over nearly falling to the ground as he clutched his middle. A sharp pain suddenly thrusting threw his body.

"Don't worry." The PC said trying to be cheery as he helped Harry to sit down. "Cardiff has a really good response team. Now what's your name? Mine's Andy." Andy stuck out his hand and smiled some trying to reassure Harry as his body tried to heal that everything was going to be alright.

"Harry...Potter."

Harry actually had to think about it for a moment, a brief frown crossing his features as he used his name for the first time in a very long time. The Dursley's always referred to him as "Boy" or "Freak" or just "You" sometimes when Vernon got drunk after work.

"Where do you live Harry?" Andy prodded after scanning for the aid car, mentally recording the expressions on the emaciated boy's face.

"I don't know."

"What are you parent's names?"

"They're dead." Harry shrugged idly whipping his bloody hand on his over sized shorts doubling as pants.

"Guardian's?"

Harry sat up straight at the mention even in passing to the Dursley's but he shook his head forcefully. Andy nodded even as he made a note to have someone look for any Potters, the child was obviously abused by someone that was in charge of his welfare.

"Dispatch to PC Davidson med car is on it's way."

"Thank you dispatch." Andy replied and tried as gently as possible to help Harry to his feet as a aid car careened about the corner.

The rest of the day seemed to be a blur as Harry was shuttled to the hospital. Doctors and their nurses taking different test of every thing, from bleeding him to having him pee in a cup. He had had a x-ray done on his ribs and head. Another set planned on a different day, something about not getting a proper reading.

Harry had numbly followed orders and after having a nurse take blood was about ready to swear that he had exchanged one prison for another. The only difference between one was that it smelled like disinfectants and the other like fake flowers. That and, Harry gazed about, one had walls that would never be allowed to fade and have strange primary colored drawings scrawled across their surface. Petunia would have a heart attack.

Then again Harry would have paid good -albeit nonexistent- money to see her keel over dead a doornail.

"Harry Potter."

Harry looked up at the red head staring at him flipping threw his charts at the foot of his bed. He must have been thinking to hard to not have heard her enter. _Or it's just that this place is so noisy_.

"I'm Donna Nobel for Child Protection Donna flashed a badge at Harry to fast for him to catch. "I want to examen you ribs."

"Aren't their x-ray's or something that where taken?" Harry muttered sitting up and raising his hospital smock, his ribs still a little sore, _Well that describes most of my body._

"Yah, but their never good for long." Donna gave Harry a cheeky grin as she pulled a dark pen from her pocket and using the glowing blue tip shone it across his upper body and his head. "See all done and no cold hands." Donna shoved the pen back inside her navy suit.

Harry gave a small grin and tugged his smock down. "Thanks."

"Now want to talk?" Donna sat down in the puce colored chair across from Harry's bead. "Don't imagine most kids your age get hurt as bad as you on a normal day."

"Likely not." Harry fidgeted slightly casting his eyes at the ceiling, trying to figure out how water stains could happen on the second of six floors. Really it was rather strange.

"So." Donna said jolting Harry back. "You're avoiding all questions regarding any guardians. You're obviously abused." Donna stood up. "The cincture is-" She sighed tapping his charts. "You're healing faster than any normal human and you're bored out of your head."

"I have no..." Harry gulped. The words suddenly making sense as they sank in. He wasn't human, she saw him as a bloody freak. The Dursley's where right. He should have stayed, then the government wouldn't-

"Hay hay."Donna snapped her fingers in front of Harry's face, "I'm not saying it's a bad thing." She smiled. "I don't care if you're a bloody _Martian_, I'd still help you. You're a kid who's been threw something bad. That's why I'm here."

"Really?" Harry reached up to whip his face. A small smile gracing his face.

"Yep, now let's start over, how old are you Harry?"

"Seven."

"A very well versed seven." Donna took her pen out again and started writing down things on his chart. "Birthday?"

"July 31st"

For the rest of the day Donna asked Harry every question his brain could deal with almost as many as the doctors but on his home life. He never did tell her about the Dursley's but somehow Harry had a feeling that she could parse out where they lived anyway...and do more than yell at them in a way that would have cowed a stormy god.

It was actually quite refreshing to be able to talk to someone for the first time in his life that would listen to his prattling run on sentences and not tell him to shut up. Who honestly didn't care that he was anything but a boy that was hurt and that honestly had more scars than a professional soldier. A person who for the first time in his short life he could act like a child around instead of a miniature adult that the Dursley's insisted he act like.

Harry stopped thinking about how his body hurt, instead how his favorite story in his fairy book ended. How it was cold or warm, even though just the knowledge that some one listened was enough to keep him toasty for the rest of his life.

In another way it also made him realize that having a dictionary as reading material was not normal. And that really he was starved for any kind of positive attention, but not the kind the Dursley's always accused him of wanting. All Harry wanted was the kind of attention any normally adults would give to a child. Not bruises and broken arms but honest time where could just talk.

OO

I'm going to my brother's graduation from Basic as PFC in the US Army so there won't be a update for a bit. I really need a bata badly if any one could help you would have my undying gratitude. Finally thanks to everyone who reviewed! You lot really made my day when ever I saw one.

Please review more!

Thanks and I own nothing!


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter 3

I've had a really bad case of writer's block combined with some things popping up in my life. Mainly that's the reason for the lack of update. But here is a shinny new chapter fresh from the keyboard.

OOO

"Soooo," Donna started as she led Harry from his room for the first time since his admittance into the hospital. The wheelchair he sat in making a faint 'clack' as it passed over the tiles in the floor, bleached to a strange off white color. "You've got no one to sign you out, so, normally you wouldn't be allowed out. But!" Donna raised her hand and pointed gleefully at herself as Harry started to get worried. "I can do anything."

"Really?" Harry craned his head around to stare at Donna.

"Really."

"Cool." Harry leaned back content to be pushed about by a women he considered to be his new hero, well right after whoever sent her. They where brilliant too in his mind.

"Since your checking out it might be good for you to have some new clothes." Donna handed Harry a bundle of dark clothing from a impossibly small hand bag. "Skinny little thing like you wasn't to hard to shop for. Though you do need to get a little meat on your bones."

Harry took the _new_ clothing marveling at something so simple and common, but to him so very...new. Something that he had never gotten before.

"Go on."

Harry nodded and hurried as fast as his still hurting body would allow him to move toward the bathroom. Almost yanking open the door he set them down on the porcelain rim of the sink before locking the door behind him.

"New."

For some strange- _not strange_ Harry corrected himself. The rather clinical side of him self knew exactly why what Donna had giving him with made him happy. Never before in his rather short and brutish life had anything truly new be bestowed upon him. Everything he had ever received had always first been given to Dudley. Everything from his ever sized clothing to the rags of his old blankets, torn and shredded, where used.

The black slacks and shirt where completely new. The feel of the cording still in their fiber making them stiff but lovely under Harry's roving fingers. Jerking off the hospital shift off Harry pulled on the clothing luxuriating in the feel of it. Had he been a cat Harry knew he would have been purring.

"You're quick." Donna announced as a few seconds later Harry emerged the old shift in his hands.

He shrugged not sure how to deal with praise. It was unusual, even more so than anything new given to him. Look up at her his eyes skipped past her to the suited man with a round vaguely happy face. He looked slightly unhappy in the hospital however and kept tugging the cuffs of his sleeves, clipping and clipping his cuff links.

"This by the way is Ianto Jones." Donna said after a few moments of rummaging in her purse and realizing Harry was staring at her companion. "He's from...work."

"Hi." Ianto grinned, his face positively beaming. "You must be Mr. Potter."

""Hello." Harry hung is head confused, thoughts running threw his head. _Was Donna leaving him? Was he going to a horrid orphanage for horrid freakish children like his Uncle had always said? Was he going to be left somewhere in the middle of nowhere outside Cardiff? Was-_

"Harry." Donna snapped her fingers, interrupted the thoughts, kneeling down to the small boy's level. "I'm not leaving you kay? You're a good kid who's coming with me and even if I have to bloody adopt you!" Donna smiled and Harry had the distinct impression she was blinking back tears as she pulled him into a bone crushing hug.

"Thanks."

"Right then." Donna pulled pack and helped Harry back into his wheel chair. "Sit back and enjoy the ride, it's not often Donna Nobel wheels about sick people."

"Unless of course she puts you there first." Ianto commented following a few steps behind.

"Oh quite, I do it once and suddenly I never hear the end of it from Pretty Boy."

"That's harassment. That is."

"But I thought you loved us!" Donna had a look of mock horror on her face. "The wedding!" A hand was dramatically placed across her breast at the comment.

"Is costing to much already!" A loud, new voice said, an American accent strange to hear amongst all the distinctly British and Welsh ones. "Can't you people plan things with out them being in the middle of nowhere and going bankrupt?"

"She's the one doing it sir." Ianto pointed at Donna as a tall blue coated American strode toward the group, stopping before the small black haired boy curled in his wheelchair.

"Mr. Potter." Harry had the distinct impression he was bing sized up as a potential threat as almost cold blue eyes stared at him. "Captain Jack Harkness."

"Hi." Harry gave a small smile and a wave. It seemed to be the right thing to do as Jack's gaze lessened in intensity.

"How are you feeling?"

"Good?" Harry said hoping it was the right thing to say.

"Ahuh," Jack turned to Donna and Ianto, "What is it with you people and lying when they're hurt?"

Harry stiffened and his entire posture changed from passive fear to into a rather cold anger. His green eyes freezing over and growing cold and emotionless even as his mouth curled into a sneer.

"I'm not hurt." The statement was said flatly as Harry rose from his chair, small fingers white where they clutched the arms, supporting the frail body. "Hurt means that Uncle Vernon did more than kick me a few times and break a few bones. Hurt is when I can feel my lungs still and my heart stop. Hurt is when there is no escape for another night in the back of a locked truck in the middle of a snowstorm and I can't feel my own hand punch my face.

"I'm not hurt." The statement was repeated with a bit more vehemence. "Hurt is something that I am now..." Harry voice shook so hard at the end that the sentence trailed off into nothing. Ducking his head he curled back up in his wheelchair and ignored the now speechless adults.

OOO

"Okay what was the about?" Jack said calmly lounging on the railing surrounding Torchwood's second floor looking down at the boy curled up on the examination table. "Most kids don't act like that no matter what they've been threw."

Harry shortly after his outburst had been almost comatose and had fallen asleep in the Land Rover on the way to Torchwood Three. It had made things easier as they didn't have to use the back entrance but for some reason none of the three were exactly overjoyed. There was something in that sleep that reminded all of them about the times after a fight.

A fight that almost killed a boy, but the boy was exactly that. A boy and Torchwood was far better equipped to deal with extraterrestrials than things of the all too terrestrial nature. Granted there where people that could deal with this...

"He's been abused since he was one." Ianto said carefully as he looked down at his coffee cup.

"By Petunia and Vernon Dursley, of the 'Uncle Vernon' fame." Donna looked down at the findings from the computer Toshiko Sato had once used. "I know where they live and I _really_ want to send them some where nasty and bubonic ridden."

"We do know what he is right?" Ianto finally said as the comment of Donna's floated threw everyone's head with varying degrees of vindictiveness.

"Wizard." Donna muttered taking a sip of her tea. "Good one too. Already had a few cases of it getting out of control."

"I assume that his healing?" Ianto pointed out. "And the windows in the ambulance."

"Wish I knew that trick." Jack grinned, "Any luck with Gwen tracking down Martha?"

"Should be here anytime sir."

OOO

"Hiya Harry." A dark women smiled as Harry blinked sleep from his eyes.

"Hi." Harry sat up slowly rubbing his head and shivering slightly. The slightly damp air of the underground chilling him and setting his nerves on edge.

"I'm Martha Jones." She held out her hand and slowly, limply, Harry took it and shook. "I'm a doctor, Jack mentioned some things and wanted to have me check you out. Is that alright?"

Harry nodded pulling up the blankets draped about him. Martha gave another smile -somehow Harry could tell that it was forced- and deftly filled a syringe with a faint blue liquid. Brushing off the blankets on the side nearest to her and pulling up his sleeve she swiftly injected the needle. Harry didn't even feel the puncture of it as it entered his emaciated arm, the feint sting of the applied cleanser stronger that the pinch.

"I'm going to draw blood next." Martha took out a empty needle, it's shinning glass belly empty. Tying a length of rubber tubing around Harry's arm she gently slipped the needle into his skin above a pale blue vein. "This might be a little uncomfortable..." Harry hissed slightly as his blood slowly filled up the glass tube.

"Sorry." Martha removed the needle and whipped off the blood beading on the surface of his skin.

"I'm fine," Harry said and untied the tubing himself as Martha detached the vile and stoppered it. "I just don't want to wake up." He handed her the tube back.

"What?"

Harry fiddled with his blankets, "You know when something seems almost to real and you fall and then you wake? Only the memory of the perfect life a broken dream. I don't want to wake up!" The last was almost a plea.

"Harry." Martha took off her gloves and patted Harry on the shoulder. "This is no dream ok? Would I have drawn blood if it was?"

"No?" Harry gave a small smile, "so I'll never have to see them again?"

Martha shook her head. "You'll never have to see them again. UNIT will make sure of it."

"I thought this was a Torchwood matter?" Jack asked making Harry look up at him where he leaned over the railing overlooking the medical pit. "Thought I made that pretty clear, you people have a habit of not playing fair."

"UNIT's not going to touch him but we are going to make sure something is done to his guardians! They can't just get Retconed."

"Urm." Harry cleared his throat. "What's Torchwood or a UNIT?"

In the background Harry thought he could hear Donna yell out a triumphant "Yes!" but he was pretty sure he had to be mistaken. As it was Jack had a more than faint look of absolute glee plastered on his face. "It's a top secret organization dedicated to protect the human race from alien threats."

Harry nodded not quite understanding, thankfully Martha took pity on Harry and explained it a bit simply, "Torchwood helps people like you."

Harry nodded again and shrugged. "If you don't want to tell me why I'm here don't. I'm just happy I'm not with the Dursley's."

For a moment both Martha and Jack where dumbfounded. For all that Harry spoke like a adult he was a child and sometimes it showed. Not in being inoccent for that had long since gone but, in the fact that he simply did not understand. An adult would have gotten the inflections but for a abused boy trust was a long way coming for anyone to be trusted fully.

"Harry," Martha rubbed his back trying to make him more comfortable and less tense, "You're here because you're a wizard."

Harry shook his head violently. "There's no such thing as magic."

"Yes there is." Donna said moving up to stand next to Jack. "What do you call the whole healing thing? And I bet there was some other things right? A window that broke because you where mad, items you really want suddenly appearing. That's magic."

"It's just fairy tales for kids."

Even as he said that, denying something that secretly he had believed Harry tried hard not to think. To not wonder why he hadn't magicked up food or decent clothing when he really needed it. To not wonder why the Dursley's hadn't exploded like in one of Dudley's video games.

"You are a kid." Jack pointed out, "Last time I checked seven was still considered to be a kid."

A beaker near Martha's hip exploded on the counter. None of the adults flinched even as the clear blue fluid spilled everywhere. Instead they all looked even more concerned, Donna coming don and taking Martha's place as she silently cleaned up the mess.

"Harry."

"There's no such thing as magic." Harry repeated dully. "No such thing as magic."

"Harry." Donna snapped her finger in front of his face. "You're a wizard and nothing on this earth is going to make you any different." She patted his shoulder kindly. "And nether is anyone going to harm you because of it. You use magic and words to describe the universe instead of numbers and science. Entire worlds do."

"Yah Harry ever heard of Shakespeare?" Martha finished cleaning up ad sat down next to Donna. "Back in the sixteen hundreds he wrote a entire play because of magic."

"Really?" Harry sat up straighter a bit more sure.

"Really I was there. I meet the Bard himself."

"Then you're a wizard to?" Harry peered at Martha not quite believing her. If she had met William Shakespeare then she had to have some sort of magic to live that long.

Martha shook her head. "I traveled with the most amazing man he showed me the universe from start to end. Some day you'll meet him. But," Martha held up a finger and poked Harry's chest, grinning. Harry gave a small giggle before clapping his hands over his mouth, a smile seeping threw his spread fingers. "You have to get healthy."

"Want some ice cream?" Donna asked suddenly changing the subject, smiling and ruffling Harry's hair.

OOO

"He's underweight. He's like almost fifty pounds underweight." Martha shook her head. "I made up a diet for him for you lot to follow since you look like you're going to keep him."

"Keep him?" Gwen looked up at Jack who in turn looked at Donna who was grinning. "You're thinking of adopting him?" Gwen had just finished introducing herself and helping Harry choose a coat to wear. The child had rather endeared himself to her and there was a general consensus among the female staff that he needed protecting of an almost motherly nature. God help anyone that got in the way of that particular mission.

"What?" Ianto walked in at the end of the sentence carrying drinks and a folder of papers under one arm. "I thought we where waiting to hear back from the inquires."

"We'll see." Jack finally answered. "If he's a wizard then there are a few people that I want to talk to before we make any plans." The unsaid comment about his former guardians left hanging. "But it's not like we run a house for wayward anything here. The kid just deserves a good home."

"Right." Ianto nodded, "so why's the dinosaur still here?"

"Different circumstances."

"Okay then, I'll get the papers in order. Andy owes me a favor and we can have the adoption done by Friday." Gwen smiled sweetly at Jack as Donna behind him gave restrained air punches and a silent little dance.

"Can we just get the kid some candy or something like you said and _not_ discuss his future." Jack grabbed his coat and looked out of his office to make sure that Harry getting his jacket on. "One kid was more than enough for me."

"Never thought about you as a father." Gwen helped Ianto serve the coffee out as the adults got ready for the chilly Cardiff night.

"Well I wasn't exactly good at it." Jack snagged his coffee and headed out the door, the others following behind. Almost jogging down to where Harry was sitting in the med bay Jack looked down over the railing at the pale face staring back. "Ready to leave here kid?"

"Yes sir." Harry nodded and made his way up the stairs to stand before the group of adults. Eyes down cast at the cement floor, hands behind his back, untidy hair falling over his face hiding the emerald eyes from the others.

"Well then let's go." Jack gently gave Harry a slightly push on the back, propelling him forward. Gwen gently patting one shoulder and smiling down at him. Martha on the other side with Donna talking softly on her phone part of the honer guard chiving Harry out of the hub. Ianto taking the rearguard and locking up the doors as everyone pilled into the elevator.

"Kid can I see you're forhead?" Jack suddenly asked as the group filled out of the elevator and into a fake tourist shop. Guides unnaturally neatly pilled and cases a bit to spotless for Harry or anyone else to believe that they where actually in use.

Harry nodded and lifted up the long messy fringe revealing a small lighting bolt scar.

"Interesting. Very interesting." Jack sounded oddly thoughtful as he spoke.

"Harry what's your favorite food?" Gwen asked distracting the boy from Jack's simi-audible muttering as he flipped open his wrist strap and and started fiddling with it.

"Strawberry's."

"Well I know a place where they make the best strawberry ice cream. Want to go there?"

Harry nodded furiously making Gwen and Donna laugh at the sight of the mop of black hair shake. It also rather set the mood for the walk threw the Cardiff streets. A child laughing more in a single day than in his entire life before hand.

In a way Harry considered, this was his new life. No more starvation and abuse wither physical or mental. Rather here where people who it seemed, maybe, actually cared for him. His old life was gone and if there was any indication this one was going to be staying around for a good long time. A rather lovely thought that bought another smile to his face, one that he saw duplicated on the faces about him.

No not faces, Harry corrected himself. Family.

OOO

I promise that in the next chapter I will have the pirates. But on the second note I also have for the first time in ages a plan for how this story is going to play out. Go me.


End file.
